Internet co-location facility security system

ABSTRACT

An Internet co-location facility security system integrates all the major components of the system and makes tracking information from these components available to co-located members on a database accessible from the web. A web-based interface allows co-located members to assign visitor access to the Internet co-location facility through the Internet from remote computer terminals. A visitor access and enrollment system allows a visitor to enroll only once in the system to be granted access to one or more other Internet co-location facility security systems around the globe.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of security systemsand, more particularly, to an Internet co-location facility securitysystem.

BACKGROUND

The growing use of the Internet by businesses around the globe iscreating a need for a scalable and secure home for every organizationwith a mission critical Internet component. Various facilities exist toprovide Internet Service Providers (ISPs), Application Service Providers(ASPs), and content providers with a safe place to house their hardware.

In a typical co-location model, member sites are placed in anenvironment where they have access to a network provider, sitemanagement and web hosting arrangements, and other similar types ofservices. While co-location models expedite electronic transmissions,the clustering of member sites in these facilities makes them vulnerableto vandals, thieves, and even terrorist attacks. Because moderne-commerce companies moving billions of dollars over the Internet cannot afford to jeopardize the physical security of their equipment,co-location facilities are generally protected by advanced securitysystems. For instance, video cameras record activity in and around thefacilities, sensors, including motion and sound sensors, detectsuspicious or uncharacteristic events, and computers located in securitycontrol centers monitor access points. These systems may also includemagnetic card readers or similar electromagnetic locking devicesgranting member users access to certain parts of the facilities or toindividually locked cages configured for networking and/or serverco-location.

Unfortunately, in the security conscious world of the Internet, thesecurity systems of the prior art have many limitations. For one, theydo not provide co-located members with enough control. Although thesesystems are designed to track everyone in a co-location facility at alltimes, members do not have access to this information. Keeping thisinformation private may work in hospitals or jails, for example, but itdoes not provide enough leverage to e-commerce companies whosebusinesses depend on the facility in which their equipment is placedbeing absolutely free from interruption of service (power, airconditioning, the interconnections themselves, etc.). In addition, undercurrent co-location security systems, members are unable to schedulevisitor access to the facility through a user interface connected to theWorld Wide Web. This lack of automated access poses an additionalsecurity risk because it allows security officers, rather than themembers themselves, to have too much control regarding visitor access toco-located member sites in the facility. Moreoever, the security systemsof the prior art are not completely integrated. Tracking informationfrom all the various components of the system is not available on acentralized database accessible by co-located members. Finally, visitorsto one co-location facility do not have access to other co-locationfacilities owned by the same organization without having to go through alengthy visitor enrollment system which is both burdensome and costly inthe fast-paced world of e-commerce.

Therefore, there is a need for an Internet exchange security system thatis both completely integrated and that is also able to be monitored andaccess controlled by co-located members of the facility. There is also aneed for a more efficient co-location facility visitor access andenrollment system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a security systemfor an Internet co-location facility that integrates all the majorcomponents of the system and that makes the tracking information fromthese components available to co-located members on a master databaseaccessible from the web. It is a further object of the present inventionto provide a web-based interface that allows co-located members toassign visitor access to the Internet co-location facility from remotelocations anywhere in the world. It is still a further object of thepresent invention to provide a visitor access and enrollment system thatallows the visitor to enroll only once on the system to be grantedaccess to one or more other Internet co-location facilities around theglobe.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided asecurity system to control, monitor, and track security integrity andevents within an Internet co-location facility. The security system maybe installed at the Internet co-location facility and linked to acorporate server through a Wide Area Network (WAN). In the preferredembodiment of the present invention, a co-located member schedules avisit to the Internet co-location facility from a computer terminallocated at a remote site using a web-based Customer Care System (CCS).Contact information, visit information, and the like is entered by theco-located member through the web-based interface and is transmitted bythe CCS via the Internet to a Customer Support and Customer RelationshipManagement (CRM) system located on the corporate server that stores andmanages this information in a database. The CCS also assigns a visitidentification number for the scheduled visit and transmits thisinformation to the CRM as well. The CRM opens a file in the databasewhich stores the information about the co-located member and the natureof the scheduled visit.

When the visitor arrives at the Internet co-location facility, one oftwo procedures may be followed. If the visitor is already enrolled atthe Internet co-location facility, the visitor may use a biometrics handreader and input the visitor identification code into a key pad orsimilar type of alphanumeric input device coupled to the biometrics handreader. If the biometrics hand reader verifies that the hand profile andvisitor identification code match a profile for a visitor enrolled atthe Internet co-location facility, an access control system connected bya private security network to the front entrance biometrics hand readerallows the visitor to enter the Internet co-location facility. If thereis no match, access is denied.

The use of the front entrance biometrics hand reader also triggers asoftware action in a Customer Security System (referred to as theEquinix Security System (ESS)) which includes a central processing unit(CPU) connected by the private security network to the access controlsystem and to the lobby workstation. The ESS provides the lobbyworkstation (which may be monitored by a security officer) with pictureand identification information for the visitor, a list of open andscheduled cases associated with the visitor, and specific securitylevels for the visitor. The visitor may then use a plurality ofbiometrics hand readers and input the visitor identification code intothe key pad or similar type of alphanumeric input device coupled to eachof the plurality of biometrics hand readers to move throughout theInternet co-location facility to an appropriate cage where theco-located member's Internet access unit and other equipment may behoused. After the visitor performs work or some other type of functionin the cage, the visitor returns to the lobby using the plurality ofbiometrics hand readers.

If the visitor is not already enrolled at the Internet co-locationfacility another aspect of the present invention allows for a visitoraccess and enrollment procedure. According to this aspect of the presentinvention, visitor identification information (i.e., hand profiles forthe plurality of biometrics hand readers, photo identification for theaccess control system, and additional identification information) isgathered by an enrollment biometrics hand reader and the access controlsystem and is transmitted to the plurality of biometrics hand readers,the ESS, and to the CRM database which is located on the corporateserver coupled to the Internet co-location facility through the WAN. Thevisitor identification information may then be transmitted to the ESSand to a plurality of biometrics hand readers and access control systemsat one or more other Internet co-location facilities through the WAN. Inthis manner, the visitor need only enroll once in the Internetco-location facility security system to be granted access to any otherInternet co-location facility around the globe.

In a further aspect of the present invention, the events of the visitmay be monitored by co-located members of the Internet co-locationfacility. The access control system tracks the visitor's use of theplurality of biometrics hand readers and transmits this information tothe ESS. The ESS, in turn, transmits the information to the CRM whichmakes the information available in almost real-time to co-locatedmembers through the CCS web-based interface. In this way, co-locatedmembers may monitor the visitor's location within the Internetco-location facility at all times.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and notlimitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which likereference numerals refer to similar elements and which:

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating the overall operationof an Internet co-location facility security system in accordance withone embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram illustrating the network detail ofthe access and enrollment components of an Internet co-location facilitysecurity system in accordance with one embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram illustrating the design layout ofthe primary access points in an Internet co-location facility securitysystem in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sample Visit-in-Progress computer user interface screen thatco-located members may download from a CCS web-based interface componentof an Internet co-location facility security system in accordance withone embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sample Case Assignment computer user interface screen as itappears on a lobby workstation of an Internet co-location facilitysecurity system in accordance with one embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 6 is a sample Visit-in-Progress computer screen that is maintainedin a database of an Internet co-location facility security system inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a sample Start Visit computer user interface screen as itappears on a lobby workstation of an Internet co-location facilitysecurity system in accordance with one embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram illustrating the process by which a co-locatedmember may schedule a visit to an Internet co-location facility using anInternet connection to a database located on a server of an Internetco-location facility security system in accordance with one embodimentof the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram illustrating the process by which an enrolledvisitor is granted access to an Internet co-location facility using afront entrance biometrics reader of an Internet co-location facilitysecurity system in accordance with one embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 9A is a flow diagram illustrating the process by which a visitormay be enrolled in an Internet co-location facility security systemusing an enrollment biometrics reader connected to the access controlsystem and to the plurality of biometrics readers in accordance with oneembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Throughout the following description specific details are set forth inorder to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention.However, the invention may be practiced without these particulars. Inother instances, well known elements have not been shown or described indetail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present invention.Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in anillustrative, rather than a restrictive, sense.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a functional block diagramillustrating the overall operation of an Internet co-location facilitysecurity system 100 in accordance with one embodiment of the presentinvention. The Internet co-location facility 110 itself may include afacility comprising a plurality of cabinets located in shared or privatecages (not shown in this view). Each cabinet is an enclosed frame orcage into which equipment may be mounted. The cabinets may be configuredin full spaces (for example 36″ deep by 22″ wide by 83″ tall) and aredesigned so that co-located members of the Internet co-location facility110 may house Internet access units and other types of equipment (notshown in this view). A plurality of network providers (not shown in thisview) may be connected to the co-located member's equipment. It shouldbe noted, however, that the Internet co-location facility securitysystem 100 of the present invention may be used in numerous types ofco-location models and other types of facilities with high-levelsecurity system requirements.

The Internet co-location facility security system 100 may be installedat the Internet co-location facility 110 and linked to a corporateserver 125 through a Wide Area Network (WAN) 115. In the preferredembodiment of the present invention, a co-located member may use aremote computer terminal 130 to schedule a visit to the co-locatedmember's cage within the Internet co-location facility 110. Using aweb-based Customer Care System (CCS) accessible from the remote computerterminal 130, the co-located member may schedule the visit by enteringinformation into the CCS regarding the date, time, duration, and natureof the visit, etc. See also FIG. 8 (processing block 805). The visitinformation is then transmitted via the Internet 135 to a CustomerSupport and Customer Relationship Management System (CRM) 120 located onthe corporate server 125 connected by the WAN 115 to the Internetco-location facility 110 (processing block 810). The CRM 120 includes adatabase to store and manage the visit information in a file particularto the co-located member who scheduled the visit (processing block 815).However, it should be noted that while the file that is opened by theCRM 120 is particular to the co-located member who scheduled the visit,any visitor who is authorized to access the Internet co-locationfacility 110 by the co-located member and by the Internet co-locationfacility security system 100 may make the scheduled visit. Everyscheduled visit may be referred to as a case in the Internet co-locationfacility security system 100 and appears as a case assignment in the CRM120 database indicating information such as a visit identificationnumber for the visit, expected visitor name, co-located member name,date, time, duration, and nature of the visit, etc. The CRM 120transmits the case assignment through the WAN 115 to the CustomerSecurity System (referred to as the Equinix Security System (ESS)) 170which includes a central processing unit (CPU) to store the caseassignment.

When the visitor arrives at the Internet co-location facility 110 forthe scheduled visit, one of two procedures may be followed dependingupon the visitor's enrollment status at the Internet co-locationfacility 110. If the visitor is already enrolled at the Internetco-location facility 110 (i.e., if the visitor has visited the Internetco-location facility 110 or another Internet co-location facility 140,145, 150, etc., at least once), the visitor may use a conventionalbiometrics hand reader (not shown in this view) controlled by software195 and enter a visitor identification code particular to the visitorinto a key pad or similar type of alphanumeric input device coupled tothe front entrance biometrics hand reader. See also FIG. 9 (processingblock 905). It should be noted that every time the visitor uses one ofthe plurality of biometrics hand readers 190 located in the Internetco-location facility 110, the visitor must also enter the visitoridentification code into a key pad or similar type of alphanumeric inputdevice coupled to each of the plurality of biometrics hand readers 190.It should also be noted that although biometrics hand readers are usedin the preferred embodiment of the present invention, other types ofconventional personal characteristics scanners may be used as wellincluding knuckleprint, fingerprint, and retinal scanners. Other typesof electronic locking devices may also be used.

If the front entrance biometrics hand reader verifies that the handprofile and visitor identification code match a previously learned codefor the visitor in the Internet co-location facility 110 securitysystem, an access control system 160 (processing block 910) including acentral processing unit (CPU) and a plurality of intelligent controlunits (not shown in this view) connected to the front entrancebiometrics hand reader by a private security network 105 (and also tothe plurality of other biometrics hand readers 190 by the privatesecurity network 105) allows the visitor to access the Internetco-location facility 110. If there is no match, access is denied. In thepreferred embodiment of the present invention, a conventional AMAGaccess control system 160 is used, but other types of access controlsystems may be used as well.

The access control system 160 is connected by the private securitynetwork 105 to the ESS 170 (processing block 915). Under the directionof executing software programs, the ESS 170 receives informationregarding the use of the front entrance biometrics hand reader from theaccess control system 160. This information may include the visitoridentification code, the date and time the visitor used the frontentrance biometrics reader, the visitor's picture, and the visitor'sname. The ESS 170 combines the information received from the accesscontrol system 160 with the case assignment information received fromthe CRM 120 and transmits this information to a browser-based (i.e.web-based) interface connected by the private security network 105 to alobby workstation 180 (processing block 920). In this manner, a securityofficer monitoring the lobby workstation 180 may identify which case thevisitor is assigned to and authorize visitor access to the rest of theInternet co-location facility 110. The ESS 170 will track the visitorand update the case assignment as the visitor uses the plurality ofbiometrics hand readers 190 throughout the Internet co-location facility110.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a functional block diagramillustrating the network detail of the access and enrollment componentsof the Internet co-location facility security system 200 in accordancewith one embodiment of the present invention. According to this aspectof the present invention, a first time visitor to the Internetco-location facility 210 may be enrolled in the Internet co-locationfacility security system 200 by the software 220 that controls thebiometrics hand readers 215. See also FIG. 9A. In operation, thevisitor's hand may be placed in a measuring platen in an enrollmentbiometrics hand reader (processing block 925) located in the securityroom 255 of the Internet co-location facility 210. An image of the handmay be recorded using an electronic imaging device and stored on amemory chip or storage device in the enrollment biometrics hand reader.Comparison means function to match the stored hand features with thevisitor identification code which may be entered into the enrollmentbiometrics hand reader through the key pad or similar type ofalphanumeric input device coupled to the enrollment biometrics handreader. A cable 225 transmits this information to the plurality ofbiometrics hand readers 215 located in the Internet co-location facility210 (processing block 930). The plurality of biometrics hand readers 215may also be connected by the cable 225 to a polling station component260 of the access control system (processing block 940). The pollingstation 260 transmits activity to a server 270 which permits or deniesaccess to designated areas in the Internet co-location facility 210based on information received from the plurality of biometrics handreaders 215.

The visitor may also be enrolled on the access control system. Visitorenrollment information may be entered on a computer terminal component250 of the access control system (processing block 935). Thisinformation may include the visitor identification code, the visitor'sname, co-located member access authorization levels, and the like. A CPUcontains the software to control the access control system and isconnected to the computer terminal component 250 of the access controlsystem by the private security network 265. A badge making system 230may also be connected to the access control system by the privatesecurity network 265 and makes a badge for the visitor containing thevisitor's identification information and access authorization levelstransmitted by the access control system to the plurality of biometricshand readers 215 by the private security network 265. The computerterminal component 250 of the access control system prints out a badgefor the visitor based on information received from the badge makingsystem 230 through the private security network 265. The badge makingsystem may also contain a camera system 235 to take a picture of thevisitor to store in the badge making system 230 for future use. Itshould be noted that a second camera system 280 connected to server 270by connection 275 monitors activity throughout the Internet co-locationfacility 210. However, second camera system 280 is not actually a partof the Internet co-location facility 210 enrollment procedure.

In the embodiment of the present invention represented by FIG. 2, theserver 270 also contains the software to control the ESS (processingblock 950). The visitor's hand profile from the enrollment biometricshand reader and the enrollment information from the access controlsystem is downloaded to the ESS. The ESS transmits this informationthrough the WAN 285 to the CRM 290. The WAN 285 may allow the CRM 290 totransmit the information from the ESS to one or more CRM's and accesscontrol systems and to a plurality of biometrics hand readers in one ormore other Internet co-location facilities (shown in this view). In thismanner, the visitor need only enroll once in the Internet co-locationfacility security system 200 (or in another initial visit Internetco-location facility security system) to be granted access to any otherInternet co-location facility throughout the world.

Moreover, once the visitor is enrolled in the Internet co-locationfacility security system 200, the ESS may combine visitor informationreceived from the access control system through the private securitynetwork 265 with case assignment information received from the CRM 290through the WAN 285 and transmit the combined information to abrowser-based interface connected by the private security network 265 toa lobby workstation 240. As is discussed in the description of FIG. 1,in this manner a security officer monitoring the lobby workstation 240may identify which case a visitor is assigned to and authorize thevisitor with access to the rest of the Internet co-location facility210.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown a functional block diagramillustrating the primary access points in the Internet co-locationfacility security system 300 in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent invention. Once the visitor is granted access to the Internetco-location facility 310 and, if necessary, enrolled in the Internetco-location facility 310 security system, the security officer mayactivate a user interface function by, for example, selecting a buttonappearing on the lobby workstation (not shown in this view) that says“Start Visit.” At this point, the visitor may use a second biometricshand reader 320 and enter the visitor identification code into the keypad or similar type of alphanumeric input device coupled to the secondbiometrics hand reader 320. If the second biometrics hand reader 320verifies that the visitor's hand profile matches the visitoridentification code, the access control system (not shown in this view)permits the visitor to enter the tunnel 325 area of the Internetco-location facility 310. If the second biometrics hand reader 320 doesnot find a match for the visitor's hand profile and the visitoridentification code, an alarm may be set off in the Internet co-locationfacility 310 and remedial action will be taken.

If there is a match, the visitor may use the third, fourth, and fifthbiometrics hand readers 330, 340, and 350, respectively, located atdesignated access points in the Internet co-location facility 310. Amatch on these biometrics hand readers allows the visitor to enter thecustomer area 345, the co-location area 355, and the cage 350 where thevisitor is scheduled to make a visit to one or more cabinets 370, 380,390, etc. It should be noted, however, that although the visitor uses atotal of five biometrics hand readers (four biometrics hand readers 320,330, 340, and 350 located in the facility and a front entrancebiometrics hand reader 305) in the embodiment of the present inventionrepresented by FIG. 3, any number of biometrics hand readers may be usedin the Internet co-location facility 310 security system.

As the visitor uses the plurality of biometrics hand readers 320, 330,340, and 350, the access control system (not shown in this view) tracksthe visitor's progress throughout the Internet co-location facility 310,storing the visitor identification code, the visit identificationnumber, and the date and time the visitor used any one of the pluralityof biometrics hand readers 320, 330, 340, and 350. In addition, the ESS(not shown in this view) may download the tracking information stored inthe access control system and transmit this information through the WANto the CRM (not shown in this view). The CRM may make this informationavailable through the Internet in almost real-time to co-located membersusing the CCS web-based interface (not shown in this view). In thismanner, co-located members may monitor the location of the visitor inthe Internet co-location facility 310 at any given point in time.

Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown a sample Visit-in-Progresscomputer user interface screen 400 that co-located members may view fromthe CCS web-based interface in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent invention. The information appears in columns 420 and 430 on thescreen 410. The visit identification number 440, the visitor's firstname 450, and the date and time 460 the visitor entered a particulardesignated area in the Internet co-location facility appears in the lefthand column 420, and the visitor's last name 470 and the visitoridentification code 480 appears in the right hand column 430. Thisinformation is updated in almost real-time whenever the visitor uses oneof the plurality of biometrics hand readers located in the Internetco-location facility.

Referring now to FIG. 5, there is shown a sample Case Assignmentcomputer user interface screen 500 as it appears on the Internetco-location facility lobby workstation in accordance with one embodimentof the present invention. The visitor identification code, the visitor'sname, the company (co-located member), and the access authorizationlevel appears in columns at the top of the screen. The visitidentification number, the company (co-located member), the reason forthe visit, the name of the person who scheduled the visit, and the dateand time of the visit appear in columns below the visitor information.The visitor may indicate to a security officer monitoring the lobbyworkstation the visit identification number assigned to the visitor fora particular case.

Referring now to FIG. 6, there is shown a sample Visit-in-Progresscomputer screen 600 that is maintained in a database of an Internetco-location facility security system in accordance with one embodimentof the present invention. The visitor identification code 610, the visitidentification number 620, the visitor's first name 630, middle initial640, and last name 650, and the company 660 (co-located member) appearin columns on the screen. As is illustrated by the Visit-in-Progressscreen 600, more than one visitor may be assigned to a particular case.In addition, the Visit-in-Progress screen 600 demonstrates that thesystem matches the visitor identification code 610 with the visitidentification number 620.

Referring now to FIG. 7, there is shown a sample Start Visit computeruser interface screen 700 as it appears on the lobby workstation inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention. A securityofficer monitoring the lobby workstation may click on a “Start Visit”box 710 on the screen with a mouse or some other type of control deviceto authorize the visitor to access the remainder of the Internetco-location facility. The visitor may then use the plurality ofbiometrics hand readers to access designated areas within the Internetco-location facility. When the visitor completes the scheduled visit andreturns to the lobby, a screen with an “End Visit” box (not shown inthis view) will appear on the lobby workstation. The security officermay click on the “End Visit” box to end the visit. It should be noted,however, that if more than one visitor is assigned for the scheduledvisit, a case assignment will remain open and still appear on the lobbyworkstation as a visit-in-progress for one or more other visitorsassigned to the case.

Thus, an Internet co-location facility security system has beendescribed. Although the foregoing description and accompanying figuresdiscuss and illustrate specific embodiments, it should be appreciatedthat the present invention is to be measured only in terms of the claimsthat follow.

1. An Internet co-location facility security system, comprising: aplurality of biometrics readers; an access control system coupled to theplurality of biometrics readers; a computer including a central softwareprogram connected to the access control system, the central softwareprogram configured to monitor the use of the plurality of biometricsreaders; a server including a database connected to the central softwareprogram, the database configured to receive information from the centralsoftware program regarding the use of the plurality of biometricsreaders by a visitor associated with a co-located member during a visitto the co-location facility, the server further configured to transmitthis information through the Internet to a web-based interface; theweb-based interface further configured to allow the co-located member,or the visitor associated with the co-located member, to schedule thevisit to the co-location facility via the Internet; and an input devicecoupled to each of the plurality of biometrics readers for entry of avisitor identification code of the visitor, wherein the access controlsystem is configured to allow the visitor to gain access to designatedareas in the facility upon a match between the visitor's identificationcode and the visitor's personal identification characteristics.
 2. TheInternet co-location facility security system of claim 1 wherein theaccess control system further includes a transmitter to transmit theinformation regarding the use of the plurality of biometrics readers tothe central software program, the information regarding the use of theplurality of biometrics readers including the visitor identificationcode and the date and time the visitor used one or more of the pluralityof biometrics readers.
 3. The Internet co-location facility securitysystem of claim 1 wherein information regarding the scheduled visitstransmitted by the co-located members through the Internet to thedatabase on the server includes the date, time, expected duration of ascheduled visit, and a visit identification number for the scheduledvisit.
 4. The Internet co-location facility security system of claim 1wherein the server further includes a transmitter to transmitinformation regarding the scheduled visits to the central softwareprogram through a network.
 5. The Internet co-location facility securitysystem of claim 1 further including a front entrance biometrics readerfor initial access to the facility, upon initial use at the frontentrance the biometrics reader configured to trigger the centralsoftware program to transmit information regarding the use of the frontentrance biometrics reader to a lobby workstation.
 6. The Internetco-location facility security system of claim 1 further including a userinterface to trigger the central software program to combine a visitoridentification code with a visit identification number for the scheduledvisit.
 7. The Internet co-location facility security system of claim 6wherein the user interface authorizes a visitor to progress through theremainder of the facility using the plurality of biometrics readers. 8.The Internet co-location facility security system of claim 1 whereininformation regarding the use of the plurality of biometrics readers istransmitted by the central software program through the network to thedatabase on the server, the information including a visitoridentification code, a visit identification number for the scheduledvisit, and the date and time a visitor used any one of the plurality ofbiometrics readers.
 9. The Internet co-location facility security systemof claim 8 wherein the co-located members may access the information inthe database regarding a visitor's use of the plurality of biometricsreaders by using the web-based interface accessible from one or moreremote computer terminals connected to the Internet.
 10. An Internetco-location facility security system, comprising: an enrollmentbiometrics reader; an enrollment system to enroll a first time visitor,the enrollment system including an input device coupled to theenrollment biometrics reader and configured to match a stored image of apersonal characteristic corresponding to the first time visitor to anidentification code entered into the enrollment biometrics reader andassociated with the first time visitor, wherein the first time visitoris a non-enrolled co-located member, or a non-enrolled visitorassociated with the non-enrolled co-located member; an access controlsystem coupled to the enrollment biometrics reader and to a plurality ofother biometrics readers; a computer including a central softwareprogram connected to the access control system, the central softwareprogram configured to monitor the use of the plurality of otherbiometrics readers; a server including a database connected to thecentral software program, the database configured to receive informationfrom the central software program regarding the use of the plurality ofbiometrics readers by an enrolled co-located member or an enrolledvisitor associated with a co-located member during a visit to theco-location facility, the server further configured to transmit thisinformation through the Internet to a web-based interface; and theweb-based interface further configured to allow either the enrolled ornon-enrolled co-located member, or the enrolled or non-enrolled visitorassociated with the enrolled or non-enrolled co-located member, toschedule the visit to the co-location facility via the Internet.
 11. TheInternet co-location facility security system of claim 10 furtherincluding an imaging device to record an image of a personalcharacteristic of the non-enrolled co-located member, or thenon-enrolled visitor associated with the non-enrolled co-located member,the image of the personal characteristic stored on a storage deviceassociated with the enrollment biometrics reader.
 12. The Internetco-location facility security system of claim 11 wherein the enrollmentbiometrics reader transmits a stored image matched with a visitoridentification code to the plurality of other biometrics readers locatedin the facility through a private security network.
 13. The Internetco-location facility security system of claim 10 including an inputdevice coupled to the access control system and configured to allow avisitor to enroll in the access control system by entering visitorinformation into the input device.
 14. The Internet co-location facilitysecurity system of claim 10 wherein a stored image matched with avisitor identification code from the enrollment biometrics reader andidentification information from the access control system is download bythe central software program, the central software program configured totransmit the information through the Internet to the database on theserver.
 15. The Internet co-location facility security system of claim14 wherein the server is further configured to transmit the informationfrom the central software program through a network to another databaseon another server in one or more other co-location facilities.
 16. TheInternet co-location facility security system of claim 15 wherein theserver is further configured to transmit the information through thenetwork to an access control system and through a private securitynetwork to a plurality of biometrics readers in one or more otherco-location facilities, the information transmitted by the database toautomatically enroll the visitor on the access control system and theplurality of biometrics readers in the one or more other facilities. 17.An Internet co-location facility security system, comprising: aplurality of biometrics readers; an access control system coupled to theplurality of biometrics readers; a computer including a central softwareprogram connected to the access control system, the central softwareprogram configured to monitor the use of the plurality of biometricsreaders by a visitor, wherein the visitor is a co-located member, or avisitor associated with the co-located member; a web-based interfacecommunicatively coupled to the computer and configured to allow thevisitor to schedule a visit to the co-location facility through theInternet, wherein the visitor is a first time visitor or a previouslyenrolled visitor; and an enrollment system to enroll the first timevisitor, the enrollment system including an imaging device configured tomatch a stored image of one or more personal characteristicscorresponding to the first time visitor to an identification code uniqueto the first time visitor and entered into an enrollment biometricsreader.
 18. The Internet co-location facility security system of claim17 further including a server communicatively coupled to a database, theserver further communicatively coupled to the central software program,the server configured to receive information from the central softwareprogram regarding the use of the plurality of biometrics readers by thevisitor and to transmit this information to the co-located memberthrough a network.
 19. The Internet co-location facility security systemof claim 17 further including an input device coupled to each of theplurality of biometrics readers and configured to receive inputpertaining to a visitor identification code of a the visitor, wherein amatch between the visitor identification code and the visitor's personalidentification characteristics trigger the access control system toallow the visitor to gain access to designated areas in the co-locationfacility.
 20. The Internet co-location facility security system of claim17 wherein the access control system further includes a transmitter totransmit the information regarding the use of the plurality ofbiometrics readers to the central software program, the informationregarding the use of the plurality of biometrics readers including avisitor identification code and the date and time the visitor used oneor more of the plurality of the biometrics readers.
 21. The Internetco-location facility security system of claim 17 wherein the centralsoftware program is configured to combine a visit identification numberwith the information regarding the use of the plurality of biometricsreaders from the access control system, the combined informationtransmitted to the database on the server where it is accessible toco-located members from one or more remote computer terminals connectedto the Internet.